“I left Hearts on mutual grounds” – Damba

Abukari Damba, goalkeepers trainer of Hearts of Oak has left the club on mutual grounds.

Damba told GNA Sport: “I have resigned from Hearts on mutual grounds. Myself and the club amicably agreed on my decision to leave the club, so the news is that, I am no longer the goalkeepers trainer for Hearts.”

The ex-national goalie poured scorn on suggestions he jumped to avoid the push following the Phobians’ torrid season that has seen them drop to the bottom ranks of the 16-team log.

“I am very surprised to hear that. Nothing like that happen and in life, I know there is a time to move on and this for me is the right time. Hearts has its own problems and if it will become a better team without me, then it’s great.

“We all know the club has serious problems and it is true we are conceding a lot of goals. As a goalkeeper’s trainer, I am not proud of it. But realistically, can anyone say we have a goalkeeping problem or those goals we conceded were a collective team flop?

“There is no way anyone can suggest it was incompetence on the part of the goalkeepers rather than collectively as a team. I did not jump to avoid the push, but if that is what they say, then I take it in good faith.”

Asked what his next step will be, Damba insisted “I am a professional and I understand that this job is like that. For me, life continues. It is early days yet to talk about an opening.

“I move on with what I have all intact; that is my knowledge and nobody can take away. I wish whoever succeeds me at Hearts all the best. The club is a big one, and indeed bigger than any individual so I wish them well in the second round and beyond.”

Damba, a member of the silver-winning Black Stars team of the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations also had a stint goalkeepers’ trainer of the Black Meteors and Black Starlets.